Clean Or Dirty?

I took another shower today...just because I could. I love being clean! 

On the trail clean is a relative term. At my resupply stop in Kennedy Meadows I took a cold outdoor shower and put the same dirty clothes back on. I felt clean, but the smell of my shirt indicated otherwise. At the end of each day my feet and legs are covered with dirt and sometimes cleaning them means letting them dry and wiping off the dirt with dirty socks. Using sunscreen or insect repellent attracts an extra layer of dirt to my arms, legs, neck and face. During the day I lay clothing I'm not wearing on rocks and the sun's UV rays seem to reduce the smell. When water is plentiful, I rinse my clothes, and wash my feet, bottom, face, arms and pits. Soap isn't allowed in streams, rivers, and lakes so the only time I use soap is to wash my hands and then I use it away from the source.

Basically I try to stay clean enough to avoid getting sick, but after that it's just lots of extra work that takes time and energy I could use for hiking. And you get dirty again so fast...

I must be doing something right, because most people I meet on the trail are surprised how clean my clothes and gear are. I don't smell like a day hiker (deodorant and soap) but people don't hold their nose when standing next to me. 

Happy Whatever Day It Is!

I have no idea what day it is! Here is what I know...I have 2 liters of water so I can walk 10-12 miles before I need to find more. I have enough food for three days and then I need to resupply. I can tell by my own odor it's been quite a while since my last shower. My shoes are good for another 100 miles and then they will need to be replaced.

It's a bit of an adjustment for me, living without a watch, a calendar full of activities, and a detailed to-do list. When I think about work, it is the people I remember and pray for. When I think about home, it is my beautiful wife that comes to mind and I long to see again soon.

In spite of the simplicity of hiking, each day is full of excitement! Meeting new people, seeing familiar faces of PCT hikers, new things to see, and new challenges to overcome. It is such a blessing to have this time to pray, reflect, and listen to that still small voice while enjoying God's creation.

Bugs!

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

There are hikers who have devoted entire blog posts to mosquitoes, sometimes with a higher than normal frequency of expletives. They certainly can drive you crazy! On previous hikes during mosquitoes season I can remember running down the trail, waiving my hat in front of my face so I didn't inhale them and screaming at the top of my lungs. I've even tried speaking in tongues militantly as I hike, but to no avail. So...this year I bought a head net to put over my hat and will wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants when they get thick.  I also have DEET for any exposed skin. Hopefully this will keep me sane and happy in mosquito country! 

Mountain Passes

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. William Shakespeare

The mountain passes with snow and ice present the most physically challenging and dangerous part of the hike so far. I have micro spikes and an ice axe to help avoid falling on steep snow. Navigation through miles of snow at high altitude, and the threat of afternoon thunder storms also keeps me alert and thinking ahead. Mountain passes shoud be climbed in the morning when the snow is firm and lightning is less likely.

The next 125 miles has 50,000 ft. of altitude change over seven mountain passes:  Kersarge Pass, Glen Pass, Pinchot Pass, Mather Pass, Muir Pass, Selden Pass, and Silver Pass. I'll try to take some awesome pictures and video. 

Radio Silence-Wednesday, June 11

For the next week I will not have cell service. I will be deep in the High Sierra. I have a few posts scheduled in advanced, but news from the trail will be delayed until Mammtoh Lakes. I bought extra batteries to charge my phone so I can contine to take pictures, video, and write in this long section of the PCT.

Thanks again to everyone who is following along. I appreciate your prayers and support. You are a blessing. God's grace, peace, and strength is present with me as I hike and I feel His hand of protection in moments when I need courage.

Late To The Party

Even if you are old, you must plant. Just as you found trees planted by others, you must plant them for your children. Midrash Tanchuma (4th to 5th centuries)

For the first time in my life I know what I want. I have a voice and have something to say. I am ready to take a risk, make a difference, be a man. I  know that sounds strange coming from someone 51 years old who has graduated from college, attended graduate school, worked full time for 30 years, been married for almost as long, has two grown children and mows his own lawns. Maybe I have overstated the situation a bit, but the truth is for years I have wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and never had the courage to do it until now. For years I have wanted to write something, but until now there was no evidence of it. I have something to say and I am prepared to risk being misunderstood to say it.

So it feels like I should hurry! I'm late and I have to make up for lost time! But I'm not going to do that. I am on God's time line and not mine. You are never too old and it's never too late to have a dream, set a goal, make plans then make it happen! Keep calm and dream BIG!

Resupply Drama-Tuesday, June 10

I arrived in Independence on Monday, June 9, to resupply with only the following food in my backpack:

I was dirty and ready for a shower and some real FOOD! The motel I'm staying at washed my clothes while I showered and I was on my way to Subway for a sandwich and soda, wearing a loaner t-shirt and shorts! Now that's service!

What's the drama you ask...my resupply bucket has not arrived and there is no grocery store in Independence. (Have I mentioned how small this town is?) So...we are hoping and praying it arrives today, but I won't know until about 11am.

Since the bus to Bishop, (a larger town with a grocery store 40 minutes away), leaves Independence at 8:45am, I'll take the bus to Bishop and the motel owner will call me if my package arrives. If it does, I'll have lunch in Bishop and take the bus back. If it doesn't, I'll do my resupply shopping in Bishop and return with 7 days of food. Either way, I get a break from hiking and enjoy some good food in Bishop.

10:35AM: I RECEIVED THE CALL THAT MY RESUPPLY BUCKET ARRIVED! God bless the USPS! Time to celebrate with some Mexican food and a bus ride back to Independence! I'll be back on the trail tomorrow.

My next resupply is in Mammoth Lakes and Eva is meeting me there! Now that is some serious motivation for the next 125 miles and 50,000 ft. of altitude change.

Keep calm and hike on!

Bring Me Men!

As I enter the High Sierra, I face some new challenges: snow, cold, thunder storms, and mosquitoes! I have hiked in the High Sierra many times, but never this early in the season. It will be a true adventure! Here is a poem that inspired me. I hope it does the same for you.

Bring me men to match my mountains,

Bring me men to match my plains,

Men with empires in their purpose,

And new eras in their brains.

Bring me men to match my prairies,

Men to match my inland seas,

Men whose thoughts shall pave a highway

Up to ampler destinies,

Pioneers to cleanse thought’s marshlands,

And to cleanse old error’s fen;

Bring me men to match my mountains –

Bring me men!

Bring me men to match my forests,

Strong to fight the storm and beast,

Branching toward the skyey future,

Rooted on the futile past.

Bring me men to match my valleys,

Tolerant of rain and snow,

Men within whose fruitful purpose

Time’s consummate blooms shall grow,

Men to tame the tigerish instincts

Of the lair and cave and den,

Cleanse the dragon slime of nature –

Bring me men!

Bring me men to match my rivers,

Continent cleansers, flowing free,

Drawn by eternal madness,

To be mingled with the sea –

Men of oceanic impulse,

Men whose moral currents sweep

Toward the wide, unfolding ocean

Of an undiscovered deep –

Men who feel the strong pulsation

Of the central sea, and then

Time their currents by its earth throbs –

Bring me men.

by Sam Walter Foss

Meeting A PCT Celebrity

The trail magic at Walker Pass and Hwy 178, described in a previous post, was provided by a group of trail angels that included Yogi, the lady on my left in the red shirt. She is famous on the trail because she wrote the most popular guidebook on the PCT. The lady in the cowboy hat is Jackalope, who is a former PCT hiker and friend of Yogi, Jackslope's son's trail name is Bear Bait. It was nice to meet Yogi and Jackalope along the PCT! The other two ladies have been trail angels for seven years and they seem to love blessing hikers along the trail! 

On The Trail Again-Saturday, May 31

It doesn't look like it's that inviting for bathing either...I filtered a liter, just in case I needed it. 

Saturday, May 31st / Miles today: 22 / Total miles: 673 / Climbed 5,100 ft. / No cell service

Yesterday I spent the day in Ridgecrest, as a guest of a family friend named Dennis. He was a wonderful host and we had so much in common in terms of our love for the outdoors, running and mountain climbing. Thank you Dennis! You are an inspiration.

Today began at the drive through at McDonalds in Ridgecrest, and then Dennis drove me  back to Walker Pass. I had a good day and hiked further than I had planned. I met someone from the UK named Bear Salad and we are camped together tonight. Time will tell if we stick as hiking partners.

I need help! Whenever I tell people my trail name they think immediately about the candy bar. I have to explain it is because I drop things, which they get, but 30 seconds later we are back to the candy bar again. (Food is a favorite topic on the PCT.) If they have eaten a Butter Finger candy bar, they have their own opinion about it, but if they haven't, and I'm discovering many people have been deprived, they want me to describe it. I tell them it is unique...just like me, but they are not amused or satisfied. The chocolate coating is easy, but the candy center...I need help describing it; both taste and texture. Help me please! 

Tomorrow we climb to over 8,000 ft. which I think is the highest point so far on the PCT. When we reach the High Sierra we will climb over a 13,000 ft. mountain pass and several that are over 12,000 ft. 

It's 9:15, windy, dark, clear sky, and cool. I'm in my tent and getting very sleepy. Good night! 

Butter Fingers

I Did It-Thursday, June 5

Did What? 

I stopped hiking early! I usually try to squeeze in as many miles as possible everyday, but I'm way ahead of schedule. I'm really bad at sitting still, relaxing, not doing anything, both on the trail and in real life. So...today, at the first alpine lake (11,300 ft.) on the trail, I decided to I take a half day off! I set up camp, washed clothes, and took a quick swim. I watched the clouds roll by while sitting by the lake reading and blogging, without cell service of course. After that I took a nap and listened to some podcasts on my MP3 player! I'll still finish hiking this section on Monday, one day ahead of schedule. (I'm not doing a very good job estimating my daily mileage.)

Friday I'll hike to Crabtree Meadows, Saturday, I'll summit Mt. Whitney as a day hike, Sunday I'll hike over Forester Pass, and Monday I'll hike out over Kerrsarge Pass and try to hitch hike into Independence. After that it's only 9 days till I see Eva again! 

40 Days-Monday, June 2

Today I reached the 700 mile mark on the  PCT. I'm having a great time and look forward to picking up my resupply box in the "town" of Kennedy Meadows.

There is a small store and cafe at KM. Right now there are 40 + PCT hikers here. I've been here four hours and I've only seen five cars so I'm not sure how much business they get besides hikers. 

I had a burger for lunch and will eat another before I leave. I also plan to eat a large bag of chips, drink a 6 pack of Pepsi and devour a quart of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. (I'll be in a food coma for a few hours.) I plan to leave around 6pm to camp just a few miles up the trail. I can camp at the store, but I'll sleep better if a get away from the crowd. Some hikers hang out for a day or two, but I'm usually anxious to get hiking again. Some stay to let their bodies heal, some stay for the social atmosphere, some stay to wait for a resupply package, many stay to drink beer and smoke. There is no cell service or internet service here, so I used a Walgreens calling card at the pay phone to call Eva...I went straight to voicemail. I called again later and got to talk with her, the last time for up to a week when I reach Independence. 

I met DataBase again at Kennedy Meadows and he remembered I blogged about him completing the pancake challenge in Big Bear. He said his friends found my blog post with his picture and information. Too funny!

High Sierra-Tuesday, June 3

I feel so excited to have finally reached the Sierras. Tomorrow I will climb to over 10,000 ft. My pack weighs more than it ever has with the addition of a bear canister (see below), ice axe and micro spikes (for snow and ice travel), an additional shirt for cold weather and 7 days of food. (At two pounds per day, that's 14 pounds of food.) I also  carrying a larger fuel canister for my stove that will last for 7+ days. The weight is manageable and will get lighter each day as I eat the food and use the fuel. I'm also planning on fewer miles each day because of weather, snow, and the altitude in this section. 

I hiked approximately 18 miles today. I'm happy with that because of the extra weight in my pack and the altitude gain of today's hike. I'm camped above 9,700 ft., and expect it to be very cold tonight. Tomorrow there will be lots of up and down and twice I'll climb to over 10,300 ft.

Mountains-Wednesday, June 4

Today there were breathtaking views of mountains in all directions. It was a wonderful day of hiking and was just a taste of even better views to come. I reached an altitude of about 10,400 ft., and there were still patches of snow, although none was blocking the trail. 

I am camped with a group of 11 hikers at Diaz Creek. Someone made a small campfire and it created a very social atmosphere. Six are thru hikers and five are family and friends of one of the thru hikers who joined her at Kennedy Meadows. They plan to hike with her to Tuolome Meadows in Yosemite. Of the 11 hikers only three are men.

Tomorrow I'll leave this large group behind (most are moving much slower than me) and continue towards Mt Whitney. My overall pace in this section is a little faster than I planned and I have a resupply scheduled in Independence, CA on Tuesday, June 10th so I may need to slow down so I don't arrive early. 

Mt Whitney-Saturday, June 7

"I'm king of the world!" Titanic. This is what it feels like to stand on the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the United States, outside of Alaska. 

I started hiking at 5:30am and reached the summit of Mt. Whitney mid morning and hiked back to my campsite at Crabtree Meadows (16 miles). I ate an early dinner packed up my gear and hiked another 9 miles until just before dark. I heard from a ranger on the trail that there was lots of snow on Forester Pass and I wanted to get as close possible to it so I could climb it tomorrow when the snow was still firm. It turned out to be a very good decision. 

Below is my campsite in Crabtree Meadows. It should look very familiar to a certain JMT hiker known as Pretty Boy since it is exactly the same site where we camped last year. Remember our 20+ mile day ending here? Soaking our feet in the river while we filtered water? Cooking dinner and sitting on the log behind my tent?

Forester Pass-Sunday, June 8

I camped 4 miles from Forester Pass and was on the summit before 10am. There was large sections of snow on the south side which made the climb challenging, but there was two miles of snow on the north side of the pass and by 11am it was getting hot, the snow was softening, and I was postholing (sinking up to your knees or waist) in the snow. By noon I reached the end of the snow and stopped for lunch. The picture above has a "duck" in the foreground. These are trail markers and the theory is you can can stand at one and see the next one off in the distance. 

I hiked a few more miles in the afternoon and exited the PCT at mile 789 on a lateral trail over Kersarge Pass for a resupply in Independence, CA. I will reach the Kersarge Pass trail head tomorrow morning and I have a ride arranged with one of the motels in town. They will also bring me back to the trail head in the morning. Below is a picture of the area where I am camped.

One more picture from the trail..,

Just Another Day Hiking-Sunday, June 1

Sunday, June 1st / Miles today: 25 / Total miles: 698 / Climbed 4,400 ft. / No cell service

Today I reached the Kern River. It was amazing to hear the river; a familiar sight and sound in the Sierras, but not in the desert. It nice to be done with the driest part of the PCT.

Tomorrow I will hike to Kennedy Meadows store and pick up my resupply box and an ice axe I ordered online and had shipped directly to KM. I am ready for a burger and soda, and I'm craving ice cream. 

It's hard to believe I have been hiking for 39 days and have completed 698 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Some days have been harder than others, but overall it has been an amazing adventure. It's hard to describe what it is like to hike every day, live outdoors, sleep under the stars, and carry all your belongings on your back. Even though I am still using technology, my life on the trail seems very simple. I use my phone daily for photography, GPS tracking, and blogging and for communication and weather reports when I have a signal. 

The Art Of Adventure

I am borrowing the title of this post from a book by Galen Rowell, the photographer and adventurer who inspired me as a young person to try my hand at photography. My first 35mm SLR camera was an Pentex MX and I shot some very nice photos with that camera if I say so myself. His books also stirred up my passion for hiking, climbing, and adventure. I had the privilege of meeting him at his studio in the Bay Area where he signed a large format print that now hangs in my office. Later he moved to Bishop, California and opened a gallery there to showcase his work. He was killed in 2002 in a plane crash returning home from a trip to Alaska. His large format photography book, The Art Of Adventure, begins with a quote by Lewis Mumford:

"There comes a time - it is the beginning of manhood or womanhood - when one realizes that adventure is as humdrum as routine unless one assimilates it, unless one relates it to a central core which grows within and gives it contour and significance. It is not what one does, but what one realizes, that keeps existence from being vain and trivial. Mankind moves about in worlds not realized. It is the artist, the knower, the sayer, who realizes human experience, who takes the raw lump of ore we find in nature, smelts it, refines it, assays it, and stamps it into coins that can pass from hand to hand and make every man who touches them the richer."

It is a privilege to share my adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail with you and I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. My goal is to go beyond simply sharing a travel log of people, places and events, and assimilate the experience into something that reveals about what God is doing in me as I throw my arms wide open to hear His voice, seek His face, and experience His grace on this journey. God knows I have never been very good at sharing on a personal level, but maybe that is one of the things He wants to teach me as part of this journey. It is my desire and prayer that something I share may be of value to you and your life may be enriched as well.

Trail Humor

There is an online email based forum for people to ask questions or share information about the Pacific Crest Trail. There are some people who also like to share some humor. Here is just one example:

One day Grizzly and TrailDust decided to join the 21st century and buy cell phones.  They especially liked to send text messages.  Grizzly was a more no-nonsense PCT guy and TrailDust was more romantic in her text messages. One afternoon TrailDust went out to meet a friend for coffee. Afterwards, she decided to send Grizzly a romantic text message and she wrote:

"If you are sleeping, send me your dreams.
If you are laughing, send me your smile.
If you are eating, send me a bite.
If you are drinking, send me a sip.
If you are crying, send me your tears.  I love you."
Grizzly replied: "I'm on the toilet.  Please advise."

Keep calm and hike on.

Orland Bartholomew

Bart pulled his large pack from the back seat of the old sedan and set it to the side of the dusty road. From the pocket of his rough wool shirt he pulled out money and handed seven dollars to the young driver. He spoke a few words of thanks and stepped back as the driver backed the car around some large boulders and headed back down the road to the Owens Valley. It was Christmas day, 1928, and Bart knew that back home in Big Creek his friends and family were enjoying the blessing of the holiday. Nostalgia and loneliness swept over him; the desolation of the empty canyon and the starkness of the desert background below only accentuated the feeling. It was the cold wind blowing intermittently off the high mountains that brought him to the realization that after months of planning this was his day. From High Odyssey by Gene Rose

Orland was a true adventurer, explorer, and visionary. His solo winter ski trip from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite through the High Sierra was one of the stories that encouraged me to begin exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains myself. Over the past 20 years I have hiked thousands of miles of Sierra mountain trails and spent over 6 months enjoying what John Muir referred to as the "range of light." I am encouraged by Orland's story of overcoming a childhood of sickness and hardship and his determination in the face of so many obstacles to complete this journey.

I am about 160 miles from the High Sierra and I look forward to hiking through what I consider my back yard. I am vary familiar with the trails in this area, the best places to camp, and the lateral trails for resupply. Keep calm and hike on! Butter Fingers

Pop Tarts Make Me Happy!

Here is what I eat! This is about five days worth of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks! So far I am enjoying what Eva is sending to me. I am a creature of habit, and don't mind eating the same thing on a daily basis. Even at home I don't mind eating leftovers over and over. And I get my fix of my favorite foods when I resupply in town and I get to eat at restaurants! I am usually craving Mexican food, ice cream, Diet Pepsi, and carrot cake! Keep calm and hike on! Butter Fingers

Thank You Mrs. Butter Fingers!

Eva, have I told you lately how much I love you? My amazing wife is doing an awesome job supporting my Pacific Crest Trail hike. Taking care of things at home, helping with my blog, buying, and preparing food for the trail, mailing me resupply boxes, replacing gear that wears out or gets lost, meeting me along the trail, and encouraging me everyday with phone calls and texts...even if I can't read them because of limited cell service. I tell everyone on the trail about my wife and they agree I have the best wife a hiker could ever want! Readers who know Eva, please let her know how amazing she is and continue to encourage her too. She is the love of my of life and I can't wait to see her again...just a few more miles down the trail!

Blessed With Good Health

Hiking an average of 20+ miles a day is not easy, but I am surprised how well my body is adjusting to it. I have no blisters, minimal aches and pains, and no significant sunburns, bug bites, or other injuries. Except for falling down once and skinning my knee, I have no cuts or bruises. I twisted my ankle once, but it healed quickly.

I have met people with huge blisters, black or missing toe nails, terrible shin splints, rashes (don't ask where...you don't want to know), infected sores, foot pain, knee pain, sunburns, sprains, strains and ailments of all kinds. I have met people who have actually left the trail to take extended time to recover.

I am sure that the training I did before the hike, and my experience on previous hikes has been beneficial, but I am just as sure that the prayer, support and encouragement of my family and friends has been a huge blessing! My shoes fit like gloves, my pack feels very comfortable, I have adjusted to sleeping on the ground, and all my gear is working well. I love my hiking poles but I noticed I hike faster without them.

Keep calm and keep praying! Butter Fingers

Which Way Did He Go? by Eva

The Butter Finger Support Team continues to grow in numbers and influence around the world as this week we added Lithuania and the Ukraine as new friends. This adventure has become more than just my husband's adventure, but many of you have made it your own, following faithfully by reading the daily blogs, tweets and responding to his Facebook posts. It's your prayers, comments and emails that are encouraging him and he is excited about every contact he has with friends and family. 

Now that Loren will be coming through our neck of the woods soon, there are many of you who have expressed an interest in meeting him on the trail and possibly even hiking with him a few miles or even days. Here's the schedule...

June 18-22--- Relaxing in Mammoth Lakes, CA 
June 24--- Hiking through Tuolomne Meadows, Yosemite
June 28--- Arriving at Sonora Pass at Hwy 108
July 3---Arriving at Echo Lake in South Lake Tahoe

If you are interested in meeting Loren at Sonora Pass, Meshell Cruz is putting a group together. She is the person you will want to talk to. You can email Meshell at Hope2give@sbcglobal.net.
Or give her a call at (209)480-5228.

If anyone is thinking about meeting Loren in Tuolomne Meadows, please let me know so that I can pass that info on to him. I would hate for him to miss you because he doesn't know to be looking for you. 

And I'm Not Afraid To Use It!

"You call that a knife? That’s not a knife. This is a knife.” -Crocodile Dundee (1986)

When people ask me if I carry a weapon, I smile and tell them I carry a knife. Above is a picture with my weapon of choice!

Earth To Butter Fingers

"Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." -The Wizard Of Oz

While I am hiking in the High Sierra, I will have very limited cell service and this will also be some of the longer stretches between resupply locations. I will do my best to take pictures, write, and be ready to upload it all when I have a signal. Sometimes it is hard to write when I know it will be days before anyone can read it, and sometimes when I go back and read it later, I want to change everything! Such is the life of a perfectionist. Hopefully Eva will write a few blog posts during the next few weeks and I have scheduled in advance some posts to keep things flowing! This is also the time when I will be closest to home! I am looking forward to meeting friends in Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows and/or Sonora Pass. When I reach Red's Meadows, I will be be able to give exact dates and times I will arrive at both locations.

My phone is working well as a camera, phone, and GPS device, and my battery charger does a good job giving me enough power. The only thing I am not happy with is that I am trying to read (Bible and e-books) from my phone and the experience is less than satisfying. It's definitely not as enjoyable as curling up in my sleeping bag with a good book and my headlamp.

A New Day-651 Miles

Thursday, May 29th / Miles today: 20 / Total miles: 651 / Smiling again / No cell service

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. 

The hard is what makes it great." -A League of their Own

It's 9:30am, the majority of the uphill climbing for the day is over, the wind calmed down as the sun rose, and I can see the High Sierra off in the distance! I had a good night's rest, I am well hydrated, and I am ready for the hike to Walker Pass and Hwy 178. I'll arrive there tonight and tomorrow at 10am someone is picking me up for a night off trail in Ridgecrest. I'll shower, wash my clothes, buy trail food, and eat as much as I can while in town. My trail angel is a family member of someone who is friends with my parents. We have only communicated by email, but I really appreciate his hospitality and look forward to meeting him. 

It's 2:00pm and I'm sitting in the shade resting after a long hot walk on an ORV (off road vehicle) road/trail. Most of the PCT avoids shared trails, especially with motorized vehicles, but this is one of those exceptions. It's 7 miles to my destination with 2,000 ft. of descent so I'll tighten my shoe laces to help keep my toes from pounding the front of my shoes. I've seen lots of toes missing nails and it's not a pretty sight. I have a little sunburn so I'm taking advantage of shade whenever I can and wearing my long sleeve shirt and pants today to limit my sun exposure. 

It's 5:00pm, and I arrived at the campground at Walker Pass to a hero's welcome. Everyone was clapping and cheering as hikers arrived. Six trail angels are making trail magic and there are fifteen hikers here! Below is my dinner: A big burrito and salad with a root beer float for dessert!

The only thing that would make this day perfect is if I had cell service so I could call Eva and post to my blog. I briefly had service in the morning on a mountain ridge, but since then...nothing. I really expected service when I reached the hwy and I'm bummed I can't call. 

Brutal Day

Wednesday, May 28th / Miles today: 22 / Total miles: 631 / Weather: Windy!

The last two days have been hard: hot, dry, and significant amounts of altitude change. I think I started today a little dehydrated, and with a 16 mile stretch without water, things went from bad to worse. It was hot, windy (like blow you over windy), there was zero shade, and lots of altitude change (3,000+ ft. up & 4,000+ ft. down). On top of all that the trail was very sandy which made every step that much harder. I hiked 22 miles but it felt like 30 and took almost as long! Suck it up buttercup! :) 

I briefly had cell service around 3pm and posted to my blog (yah) and tried to make a call, which was unsuccessful (bummer). That's probably a good thing because I might have started crying...suck it up Buttercup.

I am camped at Bird Spring Pass where there is a water cache maintained by a trail angel using a nearby dirt road. There are approximately 50 one gallon water bottles looped through the handle with rope and tied to a tree so they won't blow away when empty. There is only about 10 gallons of water and I'm guessing in a day or two that will be gone. I am forcing myself to drink lots of water to help me rehydrate and get ready for tomorrow. I have to carry enough water for 20 miles to the next water source. The drought is definitely making the desert section more challenging. Suck it up...

When I arrived here there were 6 other hikers that I have seen at rest/water stops since Monday. They are young, friendly, and hike very fast! They decided to move on soon after I arrived to tackle the 6-8 miles of solid uphill in the next section in the cool of the evening. I was in no shape to follow tonight so I'll try to get an early start tomorrow to beat the heat. It's crazy windy tonight, but I anchored my tent well and hope to get a good night's sleep. I don't have earplugs, but I have used my ear buds to drown out some of the wind once before. I'm pretty tired so maybe that won't be necessary tonight. All alone again...I thought Buttercup might make it here, but I guess I'll have to tell myself...suck it up!

It's about 8:30pm and I'm fading quickly. Thanks for reading my post. Tomorrow is going to be a better day!

Butter Fingers

More Burned Forest

Tuesday, May 27th / Miles today: 23 / Total miles: 609 / Weather: Hot!

Today I passed the 600 mile mark! It happened with little fanfare. I didn't even stop to take a picture. It was a very hot, and overall a challenging day with very little water or shade and way too much uphill hiking. I didn't have cell service in the morning and I don't have it now in my campsite. I had a signal once, sometime in the early afternoon, but I was too consumed with getting to the next water source to take advantage of it. Since water is so important, but so scarce in the desert, hikers tend to congregate at water sources. Below is a picture of hikers resting at water source: a spring with a very slow trickle of water.

It might be hard to see, but there are 10 people in the picture and at least 4 more, including me, that were outside the shot. I've seen even bigger groups! 

I met a hiker named "Buttercup" today and we chatted a few times throughout the day and then for about an hour in the evening over dinner. He is retired military and he got his trail name by repeating something he used to say to soldiers, to a complaining hiker: "suck it up Buttercup." I had no idea how many times I would tell myself that very phrase the very next day.

Butter Fingers